Dawn Of Blood
by Solarlay
Summary: This is not my work. read the begginging to understand.
1. Midnight walk

Author's notes:  
  
Hello!I'm Stormtracer Carefulclaw,the author of this story,who has a few things to say.  
  
First of all,thank you HK for posting this up for me!  
  
Second,I own Stormtracer,Reo,and pretty much every character that appears in this story.I DO NOT own Dinotopia,Will,Cirus,Oodin(did I spell his name right?),any other characters I say I don't own,and Mr. Gurney's inspiring ideas.Remember,this is called FANfiction for a reason.  
  
Third,if you happen to visit the Official Dinotopia Message Board,you would know more about this story and the characters.  
  
Here it is(remove spaces):  
  
http:disc. server. com/ Indices/ 153256. html  
  
And finally the story  
  
"I hoped it was,for then her troubles would be over.Oh!if men were merciful,they would shoot us before we came to such misery."  
  
-Black Beauty,Anna Sewell  
  
Arc dropped to his knees,shocked at the carnage around him.  
  
"Mother?Father?.......Sister?"No answer.  
  
He heard a blood-curling shriek of pain,and cautiously walked over towards the source only to see his mother.  
  
She was badly wounded,fatally from what he could see.  
  
"Mother......."He fought the urge to cry.Crying was for weaklings.  
  
what does it matter now?He thought.My clan's dead.  
  
"Take this....."His mother managed to whisper,handing him a yellow 'bandana',or whatever the humans called it.  
  
"Mother......your going to be okay."He hated seeing her like this.The mother he'd known had always been strong and imposing presense.Not the poor pathelic mauled body in front of him.  
  
"Don't delude yourself."She smiled weakly."I want you to go to the mainland....become 'civilised' or whatever they call it.I don't want you to die to.Now go."  
  
"I can fight!I'll rip out they're hearts for this!I'll-"  
  
"GO!"She weakly pushed him towards the coast.  
  
"Mother......"He said softly.She pointed with a shaking hand towards the coast,then her hand fell and she closed her eyes.  
  
Arc couldn't scream,couldn't cry,couldn't do anything.How could she?She left him all alone!  
  
Sadly,he buried them all then gathered up his things and headed towards the coast.  
  
"I'll get revenge for you Mother.I will."  
  
Reo woke up,shilvering.  
  
Trying to grasp what the now-fading dream was about.But it vanished before he could.  
  
All he could remember was death.....someone had died.Someone very......important.  
  
Shaking his head,Reo got out of his bed of leaves and headed out for walk.  
  
He go and ask his mate about it,but she was asleep and she hated being waken up at an unholy hour in the morning just because of a nightmare.  
  
"You had a nightmare to?"Tsura(a Dienonychus he'd adopted)asked.  
  
"Yes.I'm just taking a walk to try and refresh my memory."  
  
And so they walked out near the edge of the Bigclaw territory,unaware of the green eyes that followed them.  
  
"And then I woke up."Reo finished.  
  
"Really?That sounds like something I went through....."  
  
A snarl snapped them to attention,and Reo suddenly realized they were past the Bigclaw borders.  
  
A black arrow just barely missed him,hitting the tree next to him.He turned.  
  
A raptor in a black cloak held a bow,his expression hidden under the hood.  
  
"Next time I will not miss."The figure stated coldly.  
  
"Who are you?"Reo managed.  
  
"Arc Aedoloa,you murderer."  
  
"Murderer?What are you talking about?"An arrow hit in the arm.Reo ignored the pain and blood.  
  
"By the way,my arrows are tipped with a special paralyzing potion.Temporary,but still."The figure looked up and smiled.  
  
Reo noted the war-paint on his face.It looked like he was wearing a skull.  
  
His arm started to hurt,and he felt sluggish.Reo half-heartedly swiped at Arc,but his claws missed by two feet.He heard Tsura scream.  
  
Arc again reguarded him with a cold,calculating smile.  
  
"Let's see the great Reo overcome this!"Arc drew his sword(only one side had a blade).  
  
With that,he swiped at Reo. 


	2. Enter Lotus,the priestess raptor

"If life were pointless,we would not be here.If peace was pointless,there would be no dinotopia.Everything has a purpose,you just need to find it."  
  
-Lotus  
  
A white glowing flash ran through the forest,kicking up dead leves and dirt as it went.  
  
Lotus Foxfireclaw had lived all her life in a basin clan,training to become the Preistess of Silryl.After much thought,she had decided to visit her friend Stormtracer to perhaps repay her for saving Lotus's clan so many years ago.  
  
Armed with her sunstone sword,flint arrows and various other nessecities,Lotus had set off to find the Bigclaw territory.  
  
"Pathelic!And you call yourself a warrior!"Snorted a voice.  
  
Intrigued,Lotus stopped and reguarded the fight with interest that was not feigned.The two raptors appeared to be locked in a Vylcasca,duel to the death,a rare and bloodthirsty custom that was normally reserved for clan leaders.But these raptors did not sport the H'agruslu,or mark,that most Alphas in this area bore to show their importance.  
  
What,pray tell,could these carnovoires be fighting about?What other purpose was there to parcipate in a Vylcasca?  
  
Lotus toyed with the idea that they were having a K'rane,pratice fight,to sharpen their skills,but quickly discarded that theory because the blows were aimed to kill.  
  
Curious,and more then a bit puzzled,Lotus carefully hid so that she might be able to find out what the motive behind this battle was.  
  
"I know all about you Reo.You killed your wife(and no doubt you aim to kill your current one),and that proves you are a murderer and a traitor.Your scent is all over this bandana,and that is more then enough proof that you are my clan's slayer."  
  
Ah,so this was a B'riscava,avenging fight,to bring this villan to justice.  
  
"I'll never kill Stormtracer!I love her,and I always will."  
  
Lotus was once again befuddled as this comment was spoken.Stormtracer?THE Stormtracer Carefulclaw?She must learn more.  
  
With a powerful stroke of her sword,Lotus blocked the black raptor's attack and turned his momentum against him.  
  
The raptor slammed into a tree and crumpled to the ground.  
  
Lotus turned her ghosty green eyes towards the disturbingly white raptor.  
  
"How and why do you know Stormtracer."  
  
Stormtracer blinked once,then twice,then she sat up.  
  
Yawning loudly,Storm wondered what had wakened her at thi unholy hour.Hunger?No.Nightmare?No.The inn keeper's snoring?No.  
  
Then why the heck was she awake?  
  
Hmm......wa that a piano playing?{I'm writing this and remembering I have like an hour and 20 minutes of practicing to do......ugh}  
  
Curious,Storm got out of her bed(much as it pained her)to check it out.Contrary to popular belief,she and Reo did NOT sleep in the same bed because usually ripped the bedcovers apart with his sickle-claws.  
  
Stormy climbed down the stairs,carefully avoiding the last and second-last ones which creaked.Abruptly,the song changed.......  
  
da-da dada da-da dada da-da-da da-da,dada  
  
Well,at least the player had good taste.Ode to joy was always one of Storm's personal favorites.{Same here Stormtracer}  
  
Storm looked around the corner,and low and behold there stood a young lady with blonde hair and skillful fingers.  
  
da-da dada da-da dada da-da-da da-daa,dada  
  
Wow.she'd never heard Ode to joy played like this.It was like the girl was putting her very soul into it.Beautiful.Simply Beautiful.  
  
Storm leaned forward to hear it better,and tripped over a bench that seemed to pop out from nowhere,at least to Stormtracer.{Hehe,I'm a evil writer who makes her charries trip over mysteriouly appearing furniture.Fear and despise me!:)}  
  
Stormtracer cursed mentally and stood up,and stared right into the eyes of the young woman.  
  
Reo banged his head againt the tree he wa leaning on in an attempt to clear hi head.No such luck.  
  
"Well?Answer me stranger,or I will force you to."  
  
Reo looked up at the raptors,which appeared to be glowing.  
  
"Wha?"He murmured hazely.  
  
The glowing raptors reguarded him critically."I asked how you knew Stormtracer."  
  
Darn eyes.He was seeing things....  
  
"Who should I tell,you or your twin?"  
  
For a moment Lotus was confused,then she noticed the pucture mark on his arm and the nearby arrow.  
  
"Drugged.Just perfect." 


	3. I Have My Reasons

"Drugged.Just perfect."{The Just means she put emphisis on that point.}  
  
Sighing,she climbed into a nearby tree to wait for the morning.Hopefully the drug would wear off by then.  
  
"If you dare move from the bottom of this tree you numbskull,I will personally rip your tougue out and slap you with it."{Isn't she so polite and kind?}  
  
"Nighty night Glowy!"Was the chipper,perky reply.  
  
Lotus gritted her teeth and reminded herself that without this raptor,she might never find Stormtracer.  
  
And on that happy thought,she drifted off into a deep sleep.......  
  
"Really?So you don't like anyone hear you play?"  
  
"Yes,except for Roma."Iris nervously wringed her hands.{I think that's the right term.........please correct me if I'm wrong.}  
  
"Roma?"Stormy asked.  
  
"She's my gaurdian."Explained Iris."After my parents disappeared,she took me in and looked after me.Her children have long ago grown up and she felt lonely.I've always loved her dearly,even before my parents died,and she's often told me I'm like the daughter she never had."  
  
"Oh."Stormy replied lamely.{Hey,if you just heard someone talking about their dead parents what would your clever reply be?Exactly my point.}  
  
"I'm really sorry I woke you up."  
  
"Ah,it's nothin'."Replied Storm gruffly."I never did sleep very soundly.I might as well go say hi to my mate."  
  
"Won't he be sleeping?"Iris asked.  
  
"Not for long he won't."  
  
"Well.....bye."  
  
"Bye."And Storm left it at that.  
  
{You probably think I'm gonna either end the chappy here,or I'm gonna go back to Lotus,Reo and Arc,right?  
  
BEEP  
  
Wrong!Hehe.  
  
Incase you wanna know,Storm and her hatchlings(plus Iris and Roma)Are in Carnassus,a small town located two inches left and one millemetre (sp?and no,the re doesn't count) above the B in Rainy Basin.Perfect for Carnosaur attacks,right?Well,not quite it exactly.............:)  
  
Note:No people but the readers will be harmed during the next part,which will either make you hate me for using a idea so old it's from the Precambrian era,or make you jump for joy at my clever plotline.Enjoy!}  
  
Sh'rlat woke up from a very disturbing dream about giant eight-legged berries attacking her and shaking the earth with their footsteps.She couldn't quite tell which was scarier,the shaking or the berries.  
  
Probably the berries.She thought.  
  
Untangling herself from the resting couch she slept on,Sh'rlat yawned widely.  
  
Then she realized her nearby glass of water was shaking.{Yes,it's over used and decrepted,but I'm in the middle of a severe headache.}  
  
Thump,thump,thump,thump.  
  
Hmm.....interesting.  
  
"Hey Anile.....Anile!Wake up!"She nudged her adopted Utahraptor sister with her beak.  
  
"I told you.......four hundred fish should be enough......hey buster,I just saved your family from that falling tree,you say 'How can we ever repay you?',and in the end you refuse?Cough it up mister!"  
  
"Anile!Wake up!I think there's something out there!"Sh'rlat whispered.  
  
"It's sorta outside,so of course there's plants and stuff out there."Anile yawned widely.  
  
"No,I think there's something-"Sh'rlat stiffened,along with Anile.  
  
"You feel that?"Asked Anile calmly.  
  
"Yeap."Replied Sh'rlat.  
  
"What the heck was that?"Yram murmured sleepily.  
  
Excited,terrified whispers buzzed.It sounded like a bunch of insects had suddenly found a way into the room.  
  
"Everyone!Quiet!"The whispers stopped at Anile voice.  
  
"Now,you all heard that right?"A few dozen clawed hands shot up."Okay then.I want you all to go wake up the rest of the village and meet me by the old ginkgo,you know,with the knarled branches?"Everyone nodded.  
  
"Okay.Sh'rlat,Yram,Sharky,Tawny and I will get everyone else in this Inn out.Now,go!"Everyone scattered.  
  
"Well,c'mon!"Anile shouted to the remaining youngsters.  
  
Stormy was walking along,looking for Reo when she felt it.  
  
"An earthquake!"She gasped,then ran back to the village.  
  
{The next morning....}  
  
"What do you mean that Carnussas was hit by an Earthquake?Sir,my fiance is staying there!"Will Denison panicked.{I bet you didn't see that coming...:)}  
  
"Was staying there.Apparently the Skybax patrols could not find any survivors."Oonu(sp?) replied.  
  
"Sir,I request permission to join the search."Will replied.{big surprise.}  
  
"Very well Will,but I must warn you,there are at least ten Carnosaur tribes nearby to the city."  
  
"I've dealt with much worst sir."  
  
"Maybe,but these Carnosaurs are very formal and by no,and I mean no circumstances are you to enter their territory unannounced."  
  
"Yes sir."Will replied,then left to find Cirrus. 


	4. Christmas Allready?

Anile frantically tried to keep the group of villagers together,which was certainly not an easy task.For one thing,individuals would head off in one direction while most of the refugees would go a different way.  
  
Do these people have any sense of self-preservation?Anile thought,exasperated and exhausted.  
  
Thank god she had her siblings.  
  
"Alright people,keep together!One wrong turn and you'll end up some predator's lunch."She yelled.  
  
"Speaking of which,when are we having ours?"A Kentrosaurus(whose name was a mystery to her)yelled.  
  
To be honest,Anile hadn't known treking through the basin to Bonabba would take this long.During the earthquake she'd had enough to worry about and food wasn't a luxurious thought she had time to ponder.  
  
"If we come across a fruit tree,we will.If not,to bad."She replied solemly.Furious whispering insured,leaving Anile starting to doubt that she would make it through this ordeal alive.  
  
"Need help?"Anile looked up to find a huge Suchomimus wryly gazing at her.  
  
"My name's Lage.Lage Fishhooker."  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you......Lage.I'm Anile Carefulclaw."  
  
"Likewise.I couldn't help but notice that you have a rambuncious(sp?) crowd and that maybe I could help."  
  
Anile sized Lage up.The Suchomimus had a sky blue back(that slowly faded to yellow) and black claws designed to spear fish.If Lage couldn't keep the crowd in line,No one could.  
  
"Thank you Lage,I could use another claw.Breathe Deep...."Anile smiled.  
  
".....Seek peace."The Carnosaur finished,then also smiled.  
  
Anile just knew she was going enjoy this afternoon.  
  
Stormtracer groaned.Something had hit her in the head.Hard.  
  
"Great Ogthar,my head hurts something feirce......"  
  
Groggily she manged to stand up,swaying and threatening to fall over.  
  
"You realize you are tresspassing in my clan's terrritory?And that you are punishable by death?"A clear,somewhat familar voice rang in her head.  
  
"Umm.........Sorries?"Storm replied,waiting for her vision to clear.Then she finally realized who it was.  
  
The red-striped white Carcharodontosaurus's{God,that's the longest word I've ever written}emerald crest raised slightly in amusement.  
  
"Christmas!"Storm cried."What the heck are you doing here?!"  
  
Christmas shrugged."I couldn't find any other clan that would take me in."  
  
"How's Ebony?What happened to Ruby?"  
  
A tiny black Tyrannosaurus rex with various pale peach stripes/blotches and a pale peach belly peared at the Oviraptor from behind his adopted mother's leg.  
  
Christmas chuckled."Ebony,as you can see is in perfect mental and physical health,as is Ruby."  
  
A tiny pale pink/purple Allosaurus with baby-blue stripes(outlined by black) and various Black markings chirped at her.  
  
"You have a lot of explaining to do."Storm said jokingly.  
  
"Indeed I do."Christmas winked at her. 


	5. Fanfemales

Reo stiffened,pupils narrowing.  
  
"Can you feel it?....."He whispered to Lotus.  
  
Lotus nodded and slowly backed away from the clearing which was completely devoid of animals and plants.Curious.  
  
Arc turned around to find he was the only one venturing out from beneath the safe canopy of trees.  
  
"What are you guys,scared?"He laughed.{Wow......he has a short memory...wasn't he trying to kill Reo only mer chapters ago?}  
  
"I'm getting.......a bad feeling......"Reo whispered.{This is about where the blood-thirsty jumps out and we all scream,yes?}  
  
Arc raised an eyebrow{who wouldn't?}and chose to take that as a joke{read above comment}.He continued on his walk.  
  
Suddenly a strange foreboding{Yay!New word!}feeling made him stop.He ignored it and continued on.{Oh,smart idea}  
  
"I'd back away if I was you!"Reo yelled from his position at least four yards away.  
  
"What?"Arc yelled.Suddenly{Argh.I say suddenly to much.....how about I say zipper instead for this chapter?}-I mean Zipper-Reo felt it.  
  
"Arc,watch out!"Reo yelled,running towards the obnoxious Outer islander.  
  
Arc cocked the eyebrow again{Hehe.....I keep thinking funny things when I read that sentence......}.  
  
Reo pushed Arc away from the spot on top of a soon-to-not-be-dormat geyser,just as a blast{I spent two minutes trying to think up that word...}of hot water,not exactly engulfing him but certainly spraying him very badly.  
  
"Reo!"Arc shouted,{Now don't you think he's gonna make it through with only minor burns that heal the next day.Reo fans glare at her and bring out the Barney videosThis is very important to the story,so please don't kill me.}while Lotus only managed to gape.  
  
Racing to his aid,both Lotus and Arc managed to drag a badly burned Reo away before another geyser erupted.  
  
"Few!I'm tired!"Tawnycrest yawned in that adorable way only hatchlings can manage.  
  
"Same here!"Greenplates also yawned adorably.  
  
Anile simply snored.  
  
Lage laughed inwardly at the hatchling's antics.Though she never-and could never have-had children,she always and always would love them to death.  
  
Settling down herself,Lage fell into a deep sleep,not noticing the nearby raptor clothed in a dark blue fabric with yellow stars,orange suns and bluish-white moons watching her with cold silver eyes.  
  
He fiddled around with a deck of tarot cards,performing tricks to amuse himself.{Anyone know what that card trick-you know,the one where the cards fly from one hand to another-is called?Please tell me}  
  
with a flick of his hand,he drew the misfortune and luck card{There are misfortune and luck cards right?:)}purposely,though to the outsider it would lookk like simple chance after the way he had shuffled the deck earlier.  
  
"So,which will it be Stormtracer,will you perish and lead us to your demise?Or will you finally avenge the unfair deaths that plague this part of Dinotopia?"With another flick of his hand,the cards disappeared and he walked away.  
  
"Oi!Is that light I see up ahead?!"Arc whispered furiously.  
  
Lotus blinked."It appears so."  
  
Without another word,they ran towards it.  
  
{No,their not dead:)}  
  
"Hey guys!It's Reo and two strange raptors!"Sharksbane pointed at the tired trio slowly traveling towards the fire.{So many Ts!XX}  
  
Instantly everyone who knew him roused themselves to see Reo.  
  
" 'Eo,you okay?"Tiny Doltra squeaked,scrambling to meet her idol.  
  
"No,he's not.He strayed to far to an......eruption of water."Lotus told them.  
  
"Ah,a geyser."Lage nodded,having joined the group."I think I'll take over.Nice bandages."She nodded approving towards Arc and Lotus.  
  
"That was his work."Lotus graciously{No,really?}said.  
  
"It was nothing.......He saved my life."  
  
He zipper{remember earlier?}heard squealing and excited yelps coming from a nearby bush,he stared at it.  
  
After waiting ten minutes,he decided he must be be tired enough to hear things and walked away.  
  
"Great going Jinx!You almost gave us away!"A red raptor with black stripes and crest bonked a smaller golden raptor with red stripes and crest.  
  
"You were the one who squealed Firerose!"Jinx pointed out meekly,earning another bonk.  
  
"Shut up!We have booby traps to set up and a lair to erect!Move move move!"  
  
The two slunk off quietly,scheming how to kidnap a certain raptor.{Three guesses who:) 


	6. Dare I Trust?

Stormtracer carefully scanned her surroundings, watching for movement.  
  
Two days she had walked,with neither food nor drink.This part of the basin was pretty.....formal,so she'd rather not run into any basiners on the way.She wasn't exactly......fluent with the ancient ways.{Finally,something she's NOT good at}  
  
Christmas had pointed her in the direction of the herd made up of former citizens of Carnssus,listing both their speed and number of.At the rate Storm was going, she should meet them in about late afternoon.Which,since she knew by the position of the sun that it was indeed late afternoon,was now.  
  
Thumpthumpthump!  
  
Stormtracer stopped,and listened to the steady beat of a herd's footsteps,possibly the herd she had searched for.  
  
It would not be long until they came into sight,so she sat down and waited.  
  
Three hours later.......  
  
The stranger who had spied on Anile and Lage earlier played his Tarot cards,looking at the words inscribed above the illustrations.  
  
Ah,the Betrayl(sp?) card.That did not bode well for the new fellowship.{I keep thinking of LOTR......}  
  
pulling out another card and laying it face up,he gazed upon the Fortune card.That could mean either they would suceed or make it out alive.  
  
laying the final card out,he regaurded the Death card with some interest.So,one or more would die on this journey,but who?  
  
Curiousity overwhelming his common sense,he picked anoher card.Which ever one that most represented the unfortunate would give him the answer he seeked.  
  
It was the Wise card.{I'm giving way to much away here....whoever figured out who's gonna die,have a cookie}  
  
resisting the urge the explore the cards more and find out if there would be another death,he shuffled the deck of Tarot cards and placed them in his pack. 


	7. As one journey ends another starts

".......and that's how I ended up here."Stormtracer finished,glancing around at the other saurian seated around the fire,searching for their reaction towards her story.Disbelief?Laughter?Fear?  
  
Her gaze flickered towards the wounded Reo-who suffered from serious burns on his left flank-to the beridden Arc,and finally rested on the silent but calculating Lotus.  
  
So much had happened these past few days,it was hard to even believe it had happed at all.At it was over,she hoped.  
  
No one spoke.The fire crackled and sparked,dancing in the warm,summery breeze.All was quiet,except for the humming insects,singing birds and rustling grass sounding like whispering Elders.  
  
Arc sighed,pretty much summoning up what they were all thinking into one neat little word."Strange....."  
  
All present nodded.  
  
It was some time before someone spoke again."I feel as though we were gathered here for some purpose.....almost as if we were waiting for someone."Lotus struggled to explain how she felt.  
  
Again,they all nodded.  
  
Stormtracer sat there,lost in her thoughts as she gazed at the merrily burning fiery depths of the fire.Reo,Arc and Lotus followed suite.  
  
"You are indeed correct,you have gathered here for a reason,a very important one."Replied a voice.Stormtracer snapped to attention,shocked that this stranger had gotten past them all.  
  
Slowly a figure emerged from the shadows,it's cloak lazily swaying in the wind.Arc immediately unsheathed his sword.  
  
"Wait."Reo held him back."Let us see what he has to say."  
  
the stranger drew a card out from underneath his cloak,gentlely letting it go.The card floated over to Reo,which on closer examination proved to be 'The Adventure' card.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want?"Demanded Lotus in a much more suttle way then Arc had.  
  
"I am Dare,Keeper of the Cards.And as to what I want,nothing.But you may want something from me......"He replied.  
  
"You are to set out to destroy and conquer an evil force which threatens a secret knowledge."  
  
"And if we refuse?"Stormtracer eyed him.  
  
"You will not refuse."  
  
Stormtracer warily eyed him.She did not like this confident Saurian,clearly intent on using them for some 'purpose'.  
  
"You need not suspect me Artemis,I mean you no harm."Dare chuckled slightly,amused at her suspition.  
  
Storm's eyes widened.So he knew......  
  
But how?  
  
"And I would not using that Sword if I were you Lotus,it might just reflect."Lotus lowered her supposedly carefully concealed Sword,amazed.  
  
"Now,let us 'get down to business' as humans say......" 


	8. You want us to go WHERE!

"I have long watched you all,and I now see you would be the best to finish.....a certain job."  
  
"What job?"Stormtracer narrowed her eyes.This did not sound good.  
  
"A group of rogue carnosaurs has taken a small island off the coast of The Outer island,a very important piece of land that could effect the future of the outside world.I will spare you the minor details,but I need you-and others-to help me defeat them."  
  
"And why should we trust you?"Arc hissed.  
  
Dare focused his attention on the young raptor."Do you not wish to know your mother's murderer?"  
  
"I-"  
  
"-and you Reo,do you not wish for the sentence laid upon you gone?What of your wish to learn what true peace means Artemis?And yours,Lotus,of showing everyone your true potenial?"His eyes flickered across them all,glinting in the firelight.  
  
"I can make those dreams reality."He whispered.  
  
With that,he walked from the clearing.  
  
"Surely he does not tell the truth!"Arc protested as soon as he was out of hearing range of Dare.  
  
"Should we take a chance?"Reo pondered out loud.  
  
"Perhaps we should take up his offer..."Arc and Reo looked with surprise over at Stormtracer,whom they thought would be completely against the very idea.  
  
"No."  
  
Everyone turned towards Lotus.  
  
"It wouldn't be right.Don't you see?He could be lying,or he could be telling the truth,but if he is not lying...."She hesitated."....we might get ourselves-and others-into a....bad position."  
  
"'Bad position'?"Stormtracer echoed.  
  
"Yes."Lotus adverted her eyes,which were blazing with fury.  
  
And they sat in silence,contempting there next move.


	9. The Dawn Of Blood

'Life is an adventure, so pack plently of rope.'  
-Stormtracer  
  
_It's funny,isn't it, how just when you think you have life all figured out it goes and bites you in the tail. That happened to me, and now I'm stuck wondering how life would've turned out if I'd just stopped and thought for a moment.  
  
I guess you must be wonderin' what I'm talking about,or at least who I am, so I might as well say it.  
  
I'm Arc Aedialoa, and I'm dead.  
  
Well, not yet anyway....But I'm pretty close._  
  
Arc vainly tried to swim to the surface, but found he was just to tired to manage it,letting the dark blue ocean drag him closer and closer to it's heart...  
  
_See? Pretty soon it will be all over. No more Arc, no more worries, no more chasing after a half-baked revenge plan.  
  
What? You still don't get it?  
  
I guess I'm not as good at explaining this as I thought...  
  
You don't know why I'm here? Good question. Now it makes sense. Well...after Dare proposed his plan to us, we traveled arund the island looking for answers. Very well found them, I'd say.  
  
I guess you could say I grew sort of close to Lotus through the whole thing, and I think I realized things had to change. I'm not so hot-headed now, and I guess not as arrogrant._  
  
Slowly Arc closed his eyes.  
  
**...anytime now...**  
  
_I wish I could've seen Lotus one last time....I mean, and the rest of the gang._  
  
**.....anytime soon.....**  
  
_I can't believe that I keep forgetting....Stormtracer's gone. The old bird never even lived through the battle.....and Reo.....  
  
I.....I miss how it used to be. I miss taunting Storm, I miss threatening Reo...I'll never do that again. And now Lotus will be left all alone....  
  
Ah well, she'll trudge on. She did mention that she...was...going to be mated to that guy Spirit.....  
  
I'm sorry for all the bad things I've done, and I'm sorry for just letting people die around me._  
  
**Anytim-**  
  
And then everything disappeared. The pain, the sadness, everything.  
  
Arc saw himself back with his friends....laughing and grinning like there was no tomorrow.  
  
"I had the weirdest dream last night."  
  
"Was it about me?" Joked Stormtracer.  
  
He grinned again. "Nah,that would make it a nightmare. In the dream I thought I was dieing...."  
  
Then they all laughed at Arc's ridiculous dream,then the colours slowly melted together and faded in darkness.....


	10. Their shall be light

"Breathe you idiot,breathe!"

_Oh please, don't die! dontdiedontdiedontdie!_

Lotus despretely shook Arc,franticially trying to get him to respond to her pleas.

_Nonononono! don't die Arc, don't die!_

Lotus gentlely pressed her head against his chest, an action which woul have normally made her flare with embarassment but didn't seem to have any effect now.

_Tired._

Cold.

Dead....

She listened, ignoring the faint battle cries and mournful howls, focusing all her energy on Arc.

Silence.

_No...._

Complete and utter silence....

_Nonono..._

He was dead.

"Arc....I...." Hot tears softly trickled down her cheeks(raptors HAVE cheeks, right?:)).

"I....." He was gone. Never coming back.....

_Never coming back.....Never coming back....._

"No....."

**"What are you guys,scared?"**

"And why should we trust you?"

"Surely he does not tell the truth!"

"I promise I will come back."

"Why...."

**"Don't cry."**

"How can you say that?"

"I though you viewed me as being your friend."

"I'm sorry...."

Lotus despretely tried to hold back the tears, fighting the impluse like a cornered animal.

_Dead..._

Gone.

Blood.

Wet.

Red.

He's really gone.

"Arc.....please come back."

_Cold._

Blood.

Cold.

"ARC!!!"


	11. Fire will dance

How.....?

_Red._

Heat.

Blood.

The wind gentlely rustled the blood-stained grass, grass which sheltered what once was a proud being.

_Why didn't you come?_

Reo....

Where am I?

Slowly, one bloodshot eye forced itself open, the crusty remains of blood delaying it only momentarily.

_Sleep._

Warm. Sleep

Stormtracer Carefulclaw had sustained injuries too numerous to count and too deep to heal, both in mind and soul.

_I should be dead._

Why can't this torment just end?

The scene played itself over and over again, Lotus's scream of anguish as Arc fell into the unrelenting waters of the sea and Reo's frantic cry as her still body came to rest in its current position.

_I should be dead._

He'd fought the carnovoire that had dared harm his mate, but she knew it would make no difference. She would die, revenge held no appeal to her.

Stormtracer closed her eye. She was tired of fighting, tired of pain.

Tired of living.

The warm of the sun was suddenly gone, replaced by a cool darkness.

He was here.

_Help me!_

"Hey," He said softly, as if Stormtracer was merely ill, even though he knew she was dead.

Her heart soared with joy when she heard him, somehow feeling protected and content just because he was there.

_REO, HELP ME!_

"I came to say goodbye. they are cremating you in the evening and....." He fell silent. What could he possibly say?

_Cremating?But I'm not dead!I'mnotdead!_

No!Nonono!

Slowly she felt the once comforting shadow leave and allow the heat to yet again beat relentlessly down on her frail and helpless body.

A single tear slid down her cheek.

_I can't tell him, I'm to badly hurt....._

So she sat there, waiting for her death.


	12. Water will paint

_How could she....die?_

Reo's thoughts were fuzzy and jumbled, he couldn't seem to think or feel anything except numbness.

_I must be in shock._

Sapphire eyes blinked, trying to focus.

"Reo! I need help, I think Arc's dead!" Lotus babbled uncharacteristicaly, running up to him and grabbing his hand.

"Come on! Comeoncomeoncomeon!" She despretely yanked and puled, but Reo didn't even budge. His eyes were glazed over and he had a dazed expression on his face, even when he turned around to face her.

"What can I do?" He whispered so softly she had to strain to hear him.

"Something!"

He turned away from her, his shoulders shaking slightly.

"I take life, not save it."

Speechless, she simply gaped at him as he walked away.

Reo didn't hear her franticially pound at Arc's chest, nor here the gasping intake of breathe as arc began to breathe again.

He could only think about Storm.

_Why..._

_Why me? I never did anything to deserve this._

"Why must I suffer?"

_Why couldn't things be simple, happy,_

content?

He slowly walked towards the funeral pyre, gazing at Stormtracer's still and frail body.

"I love you."

One of Stormtracer's eyelids fluttered.

Reo blinked once, then looked at her again.

She was still.

_I must have imagined it._

Still, he leaned in closer, hearly a soft, familar whispering sound.

_What is that?_

Try as he might, Reo could not place what it was. After a minute or so of thinking, he finally gave up and reluctantly left her side.

_Soon you may rest in both body and soul Stormtracer..._

"Reo!"

Slowly he turned around, spotting Lotus running towards him.

"Yes?"

He noted that her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and she was smiling.

"Arc's alive! Can you believe it?! I was just sitting there trying despretely to bring him back to life and then he came to!"

Guiltily, Reo remembered that he hadn't helped Lotus earlier.

"I am sorry for not assisting..."

She shook her head. "That's okay, Arc and I understand. You were still in shock after....it happened."

Lotus looked worriedly at him when she saw his eyes cloud over.

"Reo?"

He snapped back to reality. "I am sorry."

She laughed. "That's okay, Breathe Deep Seek Peace Reo."

He smiled. Then suddenly his eyes widened and he grabbed Lotus's shoulder.

"When is the funeral starting?"

"the sun is about to set, so soon I guess." She eyed him, confused by his strange behaviour.

He abruptly ran off, ignorely her questioning cries as he headed back to the funeral pyre. he had finally remembered what that familar sound he heard earlier was.

Breathing.


	13. I missed you

"Stormtracer!"

Reo despretely tore through the the mourners, praying he there in time.

**I've followed this far in search of  
That glimmering light...**

"Hey, get back here!"

He ignored the demands for him to stop, His mate was in danger, and that was all that mattered.

**Clasped in the hands of a child,  
Wandering the brink of time...**

Then he saw it, a sight which made his blood freeze.

The funeral pyre was on fire.

"No!"

**I have continued searching for you,  
Though I know not your name,  
Because I wanted to share  
This feeling with you.**

Stormtracer could see the flames greedily lick the wood around her.

_Why didn't he come?_

**Time envelops both love and pain,  
Until they fade away...**

She felt numb, which surprised her. She should be terrified, unable to think clearly.

Yet she wasn't.

She realized that she was in shock.

_At least I'll die peacefully...._

**But I still remember them  
And always will.  
Though I cannot remember when,  
a whisper began echoing  
Deep within my heart,  
Fainter than drop of evening dew.**

She slowly closed her eyes again, finally giving up. Death could have her now, she would have no regrets other then not living her life fully.

Strange....the warmth had gone.

She opened her eyes...

...and saw Reo. He was smiling and crying.

**May this prayer I spin  
Weave through the darkness of the frozen stars  
And reach the skies above you, so far away.**

"I missed you."


	14. Epilouge

Slowly, Reo opened his eyes, and reluctantly rose from his bed. Theywere staying at an inn for a while, the very same inn it had all started.

_How did it come to this?_

He carefully stepped past the rooms where Arc slept, and silently sneaked down the stairs. He ignored the enormous guilt he felt.

_I love her, but I know I can't. I must leave._

Cautiously he stepped past the kitchens and out the door.

_How did it come to this?_

"Where are you going?"

Reo sighed.

"Look at me." Stormtracer said firmly.

He turned around.

"I have to leave." He said softly.

She looked into his eyes.

"But-"

What single glance stopped her from uttering one sentence she would have regretted her entire life.

Then, she knew.

"Go."

And so, slowly he walked away. Vanishing into the misty morning......

"Goodbye."

......never to be seen by Stormtracer again.

Arc and Lotus mated soon after, and started their own clan.

Stormtracer gave up her warrior ways and married a Ovinutrix by the name of Nightmare.

Reo-well, that's another story:)


End file.
